Tennis racket



Jan. 9, 1934. J L, KLEINMAN 1,942,479

TENNIS RACKET Filed Feb. 25, 1930 Patented Jan. 9, 1934 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE 12 Claims.

This invention refers to improvements relating generally to tennisrackets.

' A primary object of this invention is to provide a racket having areinforced frame and neck. '5 Another object is to provide a bridgeportion forming a part of a racket frame, said bridge portion providedwith wings or flanges adapted to overlapand strengthen the frame.

A further object is to provide a racket having a reinforced frame.

A still further object is to provide a frame having a protector.

Still another object is to provide a racket having a groove around itsframe.

Another object is to provide a racket having a reinforcing member aroundits frame forming a seat for the strings and having openingstherethrough.

A further object is to provide a racket having means around its frame toprevent the splitting of such a frame while stringing same.

A still further object is to provide a racket having openings in theneck portion and handle in order to reduce wind resistance whileplaying.

Still another object is to provide a racket having portions overlappingeach other and also having windings around the joints in order to keepsame tightly together and preventing the loosening or displacement ofparts when the glue dries.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a racket of astrong solid structure, light in weight, useful, practical, convenient,durable in use, simple in construction and economical to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of this present invention will appear fromthe description thereof to follow taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing in which-- Fig. 1 is a front view of a racketembodying my present invention, the handle broken away at the neckportion.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front view showing the construction of the frameat the neck portion.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the bridge portion.

Fig. 4 is a portion of the handle of the racket showing the slotdisposed from front to rear.

Fig. 5 is a side view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view of the plane in- 50 dicated by line 66of Figure 5, showing how the reinforcing member is built onto the frameat the neck portion of the racket.

Fig. '7 is a cross sectional view of the plane indicated by line 7-7 ofFig. 5 showing how the reinforcing member is built onto the sides of theframe, forming a channel, for the protection of the strings. Fig. 8 is across sectional view of the plane indi cated by line 88 of Fig. 5showing how the reinforcing member is built onto the top of the frame,in addition to the channel portion also overlapping both sides of theframe protecting same against injury while playing. Y

Referring to the drawing in detail, my improved racket comprises a frame9 having side portions 10 a top portion 11 a neck portion 12 and ahandle 12 which is broken away as shown in Figures 1 and 2. An importantfeature of my invention is the novel way of forming the bridge portionand at 7 taching same to the lower part of the frame at the neckportion; when stringing a racket, the main strings are inserted first,then tightened, thenthe cross strings are inserted and tightened. It isa well known fact among manufacturers, that when the main strings aretightened thus pulling the top of the frame towards the neck portion theframe then spreads sideways, at that time, the glue -joints at the neckportion open and come apart, this is due to the factthat the bridge at 0the neck portion consists of several different pieces and are generallyglued together to each other, various ways and means have been sought toovercome this difiiculty, but without any success. Applicant has, duringthe course of experi- 35 menting with rackets for years, discovered andinvented the following:

A portion of wood or any other suitable material, shaped to form abridge portion 13 as shown in Fig. 1, a portion of the centre part isthen cut out thereby forming side portions, flanges, or wings 14, thebridge 13 is then placed into the frame, lowered towards the neckportion, the wings 14 are then placed close to both sides of the frameoverlapping and tightly engaging the walls of side portions 10 of frame9, as shown in Fig. 2, holes 15 are then drilled through wings 14 andportions 10 and pins are then inserted thus holding same tightlytogether. Glue of course may also be used if desired. In order to presstightly the ends of wings 14 to portions 10 thus making a smootherfinish, applicant has cut out a portion of bridge 13 as shown at 16 thusgiving the ends of Wings 16 more spring, of course this cut out portion16 may be made at both ends of the bridge 13. The cut out center part ofbridge 13 as indicated by 17 may be all around, from one end to theother, in such a case, said wings 14 would also overlap portion 18 andhold same against displacement as shown in Fig. l,

but in case of an open throat racket, portion 18 is of courseeliminated, in such a case, the cut 17 is made only to match the shapeof portions 10 and 12 of frame 9 and the portion 13 that bridges fromone side 10 to the other side 10 is of solid material, thus making asolid rigid open throat racket as shown in Fig. 2, of course the idea ofhaving holes 15 and pins running throuh wings 14 and portion 10 holdingsame tightly together is very important, and may be used in differentframes for various purposes, for instance, the neck portion 12 althoughnot shown in the drawing yet may also be reinforced with such as wings14 in any suitable manner, answering about the same purposes, and Idesire it to be understood that I have same in mind when describing thisinvention andam seeking ,protection by Letters Patent.

Referring to Fig. 4, since tennis of now-a-days is generally a fast andhard hitting game and it is sought to overcome and eliminate all windresistance, applicant has therefore provided a slot 12 in the handle ofthe racket disposed from front to rear, thereby providing a passagewayfor the wind while playing, thus greatly reducing wind resistance.

With reference to Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8, a reinforcing member 19 of fibreor any other suitable material, is built on to the neck portion, asshown in Fig. 6, said reinforcing member runs up to a certain point asindicated by arrows 20, then said member 19 is formed with a recess orchannel 21, and placed in a groove of the side portions 10 as shown inFig. 7. Said channel 21 continues to run upwards to a point as indicatedby arrows 22 and then said channel portion 21 is formed with extensions23 overlapping the top portions 11 of frame 9 thus protecting said framewhen hitting the ground, as shown in Figs. 5, 6, -7 and 8, holes oropenings 24 are formed'through said reinforc ing member and frame, thisis done for the following purposes. First, while stringing a racket, thestringer when tightening the strings, forces a pointed metal tool intothe'holes' against the string to hold same from sliding back, by doingso, quite often the frame splits, in applicants case reinforcing memberof fibre or any other suitable material around the frame will to acertain extent check the movement of that tool and not split, thiscertainly will save many frames, especially when restringing old frames.Secondly, in ordinary frames at present, slots are formed from one holeto the other, the strings are placed in those slots in order to protectthem when touching the ground, but due to the fact that rackets arebeing strung very tightly, therefore the strings that are placed inthese slots, cut through the wood, especially when hitting the ball, forthis reason, quite often a good frame cannot be restrung, whereas'inapplicant's case the string is placed over the reinforcing member andtherefore will not cut the wooden frame, it certainly will prove a greatsaving to both'the manufacturer and user.

The recess or channel 21 is formed in order. to shield or protect thestrings when hitting the ground while playing and also acts to stiifenthe reinforcing member 19, thereby strengthening the frame, helping to'prevent the warping of same, thus acting together with member 13 of Fig.3 in producing a strong, solid racket. Holes 24 have been rounded as at25 to prevent the cutting. of strings at this point. Due to the factthat this structure strengthens the frame it is therefore possible tobuild sections of the frame much thinner in size than usually as shownin Figs. 6, '7, and 8 and thus greatly reducing the weight and windresistance, two matters which are-very important in tennis of today. Itwill also be noticed that the extensions or portions 26 are quite strongand are holding secure the walls 27 of the reinforcing member 19. (SeeFig. 7).

By showing a preferred structure, I do not, by any means, limit myselfto this structure only. Various'suggestions of this invention may beused or be applied to any racket. And I desire it to be understood, thatI have same in mind when describing this invention, and seek protectionby Letters Patent, and although I have mentioned in describing myinvention of what materials same may be made, yet, I desire to beunderstood,

that this racket, or parts thereof, may be made of any suitablematerial, and that various changes in details may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit of this invention.

' I claim:

1. A racket comprising a frame, a necksection, a handle, an arcuatemember fastened to the lower portion of the frame at the neck sectionand comprising a concave central web overlying and fitting within theinner surface of the bottom portion of said frame, and side flangesoverlying at least in part the front and 'rear faces of said bottomportion of the frame, said web being cut away at the ends thereof toleave the adjacent portions of said flanges free of direct connectionwith each other.

1 2. A ra'cketcomprising' a frame, a neck section, a handle, a memberbridging said necksection and comprising a central portion overlying andfitting within the inner surface of the "neck section and side flangesoverlying at least in part the front and rear faces of said necksection, said central portion being cutaway at the ends thereof to leavethe adjacent portions of'said flanges free of direct contact witheach'other.

3. A racket as set forth in claim' 1, including fastening elementspassing through said flanges and penetrating. said frame in a'direction.at right angles to the plane of the frame.

4. A racket'as set forth in claim 2, including fastening. elementspassing through said flanges and penetrating said frame in a directionat right angles to the plane of the frame.

5. In a racket, a frame, a handle, a neck section, a groove in the outerwall of the frame, a non-metallic strip of channel 'form wedged withinsaid groove reinforcing said frame, the upper surface of the central webof said channeled strip being below the outer edges of the frame, andregistering openings in the frame "and strip for receiving and anchoringthe strings of the racket.

6. In a racket, a frame, a handle, 'a neck portion, the periphery of aportion of the frame having a groove, said groove provided with a"spacious floor, a non-metallic member having upwardly projecting sidewalls mounted within said groove, holes formed within said frame andsaid member, said holes adapted to receive a string therethrough, thefloor of said member covering the floor of said groove and providing aseat for said string keeping'same from direct contact with the fioor ofsaid groove, the side walls of said member engaging the side walls ofsaid groove thus supporting and reinforcing same thereby strengtheningthe frame.

7. A racket as set forth in claim 5, wherein said non-metallic strip iscomposed of fiber provided with two rows of openings, said stringcrossing said rows.

12. A structure as set forth in claim 6, wherein the holes in saidnon-metallic member are positioned in the floor thereof in a zig-zagmanner, the string being anchored within said holes in such zig-zagmanner thereby crossing the grain of said non-metallic member and of thewood comprising the frame, thus reducing the possibilities of the stringsplitting the frame.

JACOB L. KLEINMAN.

